Molded pulp article



June 3, 1941. M P CHAPUN 2,2,486

` MOLDED PULP ARTICLE 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Nov. 30, 1936 Invenolz June 3, 1ML M. P. CHAPLJN MOLDED PULP ARTICLE Filed NOV. 30, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Parentedluns, 1941 e MOLDED PULP Annota Merle P. Chaplin, Portland; Maine, assigner to Chaplin Corporation, South Portland, Maine, a

corporation of Maine Application November 30, 193I5,` Serial No. 113,308

i Claims.

This invention relates to a molded pulp article and a method of making an article which'may be reshaped `ior use.

Manufacturing methods ordinarily used for the production of molded pulp articles require that these articles have tapering or flaring sides, this being necessary both for the purpose of' manufacture, and also that these articles may` be nested for compact shipment. Such requirements preclude having an article with vertical or-perpendicular sides and in many casesit necessitates that the article be made larger or of greater area than actually required for the purpose intended. r

These objections and limitations are largely avoided and eliminated by the article of my l invention which is illustrated by the following gures and which illustrations show its method of manufacture and the possible forms of the reshaped article. l p

Fig. l shows a sectional view of a foraminous die for forming or molding the article.

Fig. 2 shows a plan view of a part of thevdic o n which the article ismolded, and the lingers or projections over the die by means of which openings are made in the article. A

Fig. 3 shows a plan view of a` part of a die .causing the-liquid ufl the pulp mixture which cooperates with the die of Fig. 2 to press the ymolded article, and to remove it from the die on which it was molded.

Fig.4 shows a part plan view oi one form of the molded article. l

Fig. 5 shows a sectional View through the center of the article of Fig'. 4.

Fig'. 6-shows the article of Figs. 4 and 5 after it has been reshaped to. have vertical sides.

Figs.` 'l and 8 showa form or article shape which together with its enclosing band permits the reshaped articles to be stacked one above the other.

Fig. 9l shows a modied form of rim section after the molded article has been reshaped.

Fig. 10 shows another form of a molded article which may be reshaped. n

Fig. 11 shows a sectional view through the article of Fig. 10. i

Fig. 12 shows the article of Figs.-10 and 11 after it has been reshaped.

The article is molded' on a perforated die I which die is covered with a tine mesh `wire screen 2. Thedie'l isniounted on a holder 5. Between the holder and die is formed a chamber t. Whenthe die and holder are immersed in "a mixture of pulpiibres and water or other liquid,

vacuum is-applied `to'chamber 6 through pipe 8 to` pass through the fine wire screen and through the perforations inthe die' I 'into` the chamber v6 being drawn off through pipe 3. The `fibres of the pulp mixture are retained onthe screen being deposited in a reasonably uniform layer over the contour of the die asindicated at 3.

The ilne wire mesh 2 is held in place on die l by means of a clamping or defining ring 4 which ring defines the periphery of the formed article 3. The article used for purposes of illustration is a round container or dish consisting of a bottom section I9 (Fig. 5), a a'ring enclosing section i8 and a rim section I1. Ordinarily the. de'- iining ring fi determines the periphery or outside limit of the article itself this portion on the article herein illustrated being at the outermost portion of the rim Il or at point I3, Fig. 5.

My invention consists in part vof adding a section to the rim Il beyond point I3 which section is indicated at i5 in Figs. 4 and 5. This extra rim section i5. is made aring or at an angle to the normal rim section I1 in order that it will not increase the space required for these articles when they are nested or packed for shipment.

As illustrated in Fig. 5 the extra rim section I5 is made at about thesame angle or inclina.- tion as theinner section or wall I8 of the container itself. This angle `or inclination of this section can be varied as necessary or desirable and the gures herein are illustrative of one design only which is not .to be taken as limiting the invention to this particular shape or this particular article. Y

As the useful portion of the container or article normally ends at the flange or rim section I1 any outward projection or increase in diameter beyond this rim I1 or beyond the point Il takes up excess space which condition is frequently objectionable.

In order to conserve space when the article or container is in use as well as to provide a rigid vertical `upstanding rim portion as will be hereinafter described more in detail I provideoxr the defining ring 4 (Flgs. 1 and 2) a plurality of iingers or rib sections 1 and la. These fingers or ribs lextend inwardly over' a portion of the extra rim section 25 on vthe die I and clamp tightly overcertain portions of the line wire. screen 2 covering the die I asis indicated in Fig. 2. These fingers effectively prevent the deposition of pulp libres on those portions ofthe screen 2 covered Vby the fingers I or 1d and thu's effect the molding of a plurality of notches I or I0a in the extra rim section I5 of the article. These notches areshown in plan view in Fig..4 and in sectional viewl in Fig. 5. Cooperating with the die I of Fig. 1 and the article 3 which has been molded over the wire screen secured to this die is a second cooperating die 9 shown in plan viewiin Fig. 3. The surface of thisrdie conforms to the outer surface of the article 3'formed on the die I and the slots I0 in the-periphery of this die fit and coact with the lingers 'I on the defining ring'4. This cooperating diel 8 acts together with the molding die I in a manner well known 'in the pulp molding art to compress the article 3 on the forming die and to` remove it from that die in order that a subse- 'quent articlemay befor'med. The cooperating die 9 has a further purpose of compressing the molded pulp about the fingers 'I or 'Ia on the dening ring 4 and completing the operation 'of molding the slot I4 in the extra or extending rim section I5 of the article.

The molded article 3 after being removed from die I by cooperating die 9 may be dried directly on die 5 or itmay be removedfrom this die to al? drying oven or other means for evaporatin'g the' moisture remaining in the formed pulp article.

It will be noted in Figs. 2 and 3 that there is indicated two shapes or types of fingers I and Ia f and the cooperating die slots IU and Illa.. The substantially square end-fingers fl and slots I0 in theleft hand portion of Figs. 2 and 3 indicate l one type, andthe pointed fingers 'la and slots Illa in the right hand portion of these two figures indicate another type. be explained more in detail later.

,Referring to Figs. 4 and 5 it will be noted that the article which has been molded on die I compressed by die 9 and subsequently removed from die I by die 9 has the simple container and rim sections of a conventional article plus an extended rim section I5 which section has a plurality of notches or slots I4. When the articles are nested for shipmentand prior to their actual use, this extra or extended rim section I5 is in the position in which it was molded and as indicated in Fig. 5.

In use this extra-rim section I5 is reshaped in- The purpose of 'these willV formation indicated at 2li-24, Fig. 8. The portion 20` is so molded that it will, when reshaped, extend outwardly in a horizontal direction as shown `in Fig. 8, and molded integral with this portion is a downwardly projecting portion 24 whichwill assume a substantially vertical position when the rim section I5 is reshapedas illustrated; These sections 20 and 24 form in effect a recess on the bottom of the reshaped rim section I5 into which recess the enclosing bands 23 project which permits containers or articles in use to be stacked one above the other without damageto any material or product which may be contained in the article itself. IEach reshaped article is eiectively locked in position to one either above or below; a

It will readily be observed that the band 23 supports each successive container directly over itself eiecting an extremely strong and rigid support l so that any reasonable number (only 2 shown) of containers may be-V stacked one above the other even though these articles contain a product of considerable weight.

It will be noted that two types of retaining rings -or bands are shown one being a wire or string type shown at 22 (Fig. v6) and the other being the fiat band type already described and illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8. t

There is illustrated in-Fig. 9 a modified shape at the extreme end of section I5 in which the downwardly 'extending section 24 has been v omitted and the section 20 on the end of the rim section I5 when reshaped into vertical position is brought substantially on a line with the bottom of the container so that the rim section and the bottom of the container both contribute to the support of the article and contents therein.

It isobvious that' a wide variety of reshaped articles or containers can be produced by the methods herein described. As illustrative of. another use of this method wherein the useful caj pacity of the container or article is increased without adding to its excess space requirements reference is made to Figs. 10, ll'and 12'.

wardly as indicated in Figs. 6, 7 and 8. The slots f I4 in the extra rim section I5 form in eifect a plurality of individual extende'drim sections which when reshaped inwardly as illustrated in Figs. 6, 7 and 8 bend or fold on lines I6 as shown in Fig. 4. When reshaped inwardly| the outermost portion of the notches I4- are closed and the individual sections I5 meet or abut each other as shown at 2|' in Figs. 6 and 7. This re-unites or completes a new and continuous rim section asi' shown in Figs. 6 7 and 8, vthe reunitedrim section I5 being held in this new position by a retaining ring 22 (Fig; 6) or band 23 l(Figs. 7 and 8). This reshaping of the extra rim section I5 brings this section of the article substantially vertical ef/ fecting economies in space taken `by the article when in use and greatly reinforcing' and strengthening the rim 'or edge portion. lvIf desired it 'may form an extra or additional support for the container by virtue vof the fact that the extra Arimv section I5 can rest on the-table or support on which the container may be placed. This extra rim section also has anotherpurpos j indicated more clearly in Figs'. 7 and 8. It will be noted that the sections I5 are vheld in reunited around the rim or periphery of the article. This band vmay.` be Amade slightly deeper than the article This article has a. central section simiia .td

that previously discussed consisting of a bottom I9, an 'upwardly and outwardly flared wall secl portion of Figs. 2 and 3.

When the extra rim section I5a illustrated in 5 Figs. 10` and 11 are reshaped as indicated in Fig.

in effect the depth or height of the, container v position by a band 23- Awhich extends completely I2, the notches I4a are closed for theiren'- tire length as indicated at 2I, Fig. 12 so that is greatlyincreased and made useful without the necessity of having a widely ared section for this purpose as would be the case if the rim I8 had continued upwardly in a iiarin'g direction.

It is of course obvious that vthe flange section y I'I can .be entirely eliminated effecting a furv ther decrease :inthe space taken by the reshaped container without .greatlyreducing its capacity. In a reshaped lcontaineroi this type the band indicated in Fig. 12 may be of the height indicated 'at 23a where the bottom of the vband is on a line with the bottom of the container, or the band may be made somewhat wider as indicated at 23h so that the entire container is supported on the band. In this case it is possible to stack filled containers one above the other, the lower edge off the band 23h resting on the outwardly projectingsection 20a of the reshaped rim section, which section can be provided with a )slight upward portion 24a to facilitate the stacking of filled containers and the locking or holding of each container relative to the one above or below.

As heretofore stated, the articles herein shown are to be taken only as illustrative of some of the shapes or types of containers which can be made by the methods disclosed, and these methods are not to be construed as limiting to the particular article or .articles herein illustrated. The methods herein disclosed namely: theuse of contoured suction diesvon which an article is moulded-from a liquid -pulp mixture, andthe moulded `pulp article thereby produced. are inseparable as to method and result. Wherever the term "molded pulp article" is used it .definitely refers to an article produced by the methods herein disclosed and described.

What I claim and desire to secureby [Letters Patent-is:

1. A brous container comprising a bottom, an outwardly and upwardly flared wall encom- .passlngsaid bottom, a iiange integral with said dared wall, said flange having slots extending from the edge .thereofio points adiacent said flared wall and dividing the flange into 'spaced the central portion. and an external restraining member surrounding said rim and holding said segmental portions in a substantially vertical l position wherein the open ends of said slots are brbught into abutment witheach other to furnish a continuous rigid supporting edge, said rim terminating in an angular formation presenting a horizontal portion and an oiset vertical portion surrounding and depending'from said horizontal portion, the upper surface of said horizontal portion providing a landing on which the lower edge of the restraining member of. said unit may bottom and the under surface of said horizontal portion providing a support adapted to rest on a subjacent container unit, and said vertical portion aiding in restraining said unit against lateral movement when supported by said subjacent unit.

3. A container unit for a food product, comv prising a .nbrous plate or similar container having a central article-supporting portion and an integral rim, said rim having a plurality of spaced slots extending inwardly from its outer edge and sub-dividing the rim into a plurality of contiguous segmental portions which if unrestrained would normally extend angularly outwardly from the central portion, and an external restraining member surrounding said rim and holding said segmental portions in a substantially vertical position wherein the open ends of said slots are brought into abutment with each other to furnish i a continuous rigid supporting edge, said rim tersections haying reverse bends at the outer edge thereof and which sections when a tensioning member is applied thereto are drawn inwardly to a substantially vertical podtion wherein the open ends, at least, 'of the slots are substantially .closed so that the flange portion presents.; substantially unbroken cuter 8119110111118 edge, a tension member for retaining said sections against loutward movement, said tension member comprising a band-of width than tbeover all height of the container, positioned to encompass said sections and to extend substantially bee yond one end of the container for seating against the similar reversely bent edge portions of a duplicate assembly. Y

2. A container unit for a food product, comprising a fibrous plate or similar container havis 3 central article-simporting portion and an in'- f tegral rim, said rim having a plurality4 of spaced yslots extending inwardly from its outer edge and mib-dividing the -rlm into a plurality of contiguf ous,Y semental portions which' if unrestrained wouldnormally extend angularly outwardly from minating in a reverse bend which, when the rim is re-shaped to said substantially vertical position, provides a' seat for the stacking assembly of said unit with a subjacent unit and aids in restraining the stacked units of' said assembly f'againstlatera-lv displacement with respect to each other.

4. A fibrous pulp container, comprising a bottom, an outwardly and upwardly flared wall encompassing said bottom, a angeint'egral with said flared wall, said flange having slots extending from the edge thereof to points adja- I cent vsaid dared wall and dividing the ange into spaced sections havingreverse bends at their outer edges, a tensionmember encompassing said sections for drawing said sections inwardly to a substantially vertical position wherein thel open ends at least of the slots are substantially closed so that the flange presents a substantially unbroken supporting edge, the height of said flange in its vertical position being greater than the depth of said bottom s'othat, when the supporting edge of said unit is rested upon a subjacent unit. said bottom will be spaced from an article of food in the subj acent unit.

MERLE P. CHAPLIN. 

